Throttle-lever-operated controller and accelerator.



G. E. MORRIS. THROTTLE LEVEE OPERATED CONTROLLER AND ACCELERATOR.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 28, 1912.

Patlltfid July 14, 1914.

UNITED STAC[ E PATENT UFFICE.

CHARLES E. MORRIS, OF LANE, KANSAS.

' THROTTLE-LEVER-OPERATED CONTROLLER AND ACCELERATOR.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, CHARLES E. Mounts, a citizen of the United States of America,

.residing at Lane, in the county of Franklin afford a safe action of a controller to thethrottle of a gas engine in motor vehicles and remove the danger which accompanies misuse of the accelerator. Second :to assure the automatic closing of the throttle when openedaccidentally. Third :to gov ern the extent of opening of the throttle in the application of power to the foot pedal, and fourth :to enable the position of the throttle to remain unchanged when opened to a required extent. unaifected by the spasmodic running of the engine due to the uneven condition of the road. 4

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts such as will be first fully described and then specifically pointed out in the claim.

In the drawings, Figure 1, is a side view of. the invention and a vertical section of a flooring supporting the same. Fig. 2, is a plan view taken on the line 00 00 on Fig. 1. F 3, is a direct front View of the operating bar, and Fig. 1, is a broken view of the invention as seen in Fig. 1, showing a modification.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawing in detail, 5 indicates a portion of a flooring forming a part of the body of a motor vehicle to the lower surface of which is secured rigidly the horizontal upper portion of a Vertically positioned supporting plate (3, this plate is provided with horizontal extensions or lugs 7, upon a line with said upper portion of said plate said lugs being secured to the flooring 5, by means of screws S. The lower portion of plate (3, extends downwardly the requisite distance and upon one side of the plate adjacent said lower portions is a boss 9, integral with said plate.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 28, 1912.

tt'orward and rear ends.

Patented July 14, 1914.

Serial No. 706,534.

10, indicates a rotary ratchet disk or segment plate upon the inner surface of which at the axes of motion of which plate is a hub 11, throughwhich hub extends a pivot bolt 12, which bolt extends within the boss 9. In the peripheral portion of the segment plate are a series of ratchet teeth 11, extending as shown, a portion of the distance of the arc of'the circle of the segment plate.

15, indicates the throttle valve operating rod, the inner end of which rod is forked, and said forked portions extended on both inner and outer surfaces of the segment plate and pivotally connected at 15* to the lower portions of the segment plate, the outer end of the rod being connected with the valve not shown in theordinary manner. Upon the rod 15, a considerable distance outwardly from its pivotal inner end is a clamp 16, having an upward extension or lug 17.

18, indicates an air cylinder or dash pot, having heads 19 and 20, at its respective A short portion 18* of the cylinder extends beyond the head 19. Through the lug 17, on the clamp 16 extends a U shaped link 21, the ends of which link are rigidly connected with outer surface of said extended portion 18*, of the cylinder 18. \Vithin the cylinder-'18. is a piston with which piston is connected one end of a piston rod 23, the other end of which rod extends rearwardly and loosely through the head 20, of the cylinder 18, and is pivotally connected at 21 with the outer end of a post which is located on the same side of the supporting plate 6, having the boss 9, and at the lower and forward end portion, 1

26, indicates a bell crank lever mounted on the pivot 12. and upon the inner surface of which lever is a short hub 27', which extends around the pivot 12, and separates thesaid lever from contact with the segment plate 10. One arm 28, of the bell crank lever is extended rearwardly nearly three times the length of the short arm 29, which extends in an upward direction a short distance. Vith this short end 29, of the lever is pivotally connected at 31, the rear end of a flat bar 3:2, which extends forwardly a short distance.

33. indicates a vertical bar or bracket having flanges at its upper ends which flanges are secured by the screws 31. to the lower surface of the flooring 5, its lower end extending downwardly to a position horizontally in line with the outer surfaces of the ally connected with the forward end of the bar 32. In the flooring 5, in a vertical line with the inner surface and rear end portion of the arm 29, of the bell crank lever 26, is a vertical opening 37. In the upper surfacevof the flooring 5, is a plate 38, extending over said opening 37, and in which plate is an opening 39, registering with the opening 37 In the openings 39 and 37, is loosely fitted the operating pedal bar 40, in which bar at a point approximately equi-distaut from its ends is a transverse opening 41. lfpon the upper end and outer side portion of bar 40, which extends normally a short distance above the line of the upper surface of the flooring 5, is a foot lever 43, pivoted at 44, to the said bar 40, said upper end portions of the bar being curved or rounded. Upon the upper end of the lever 43, is a foot rest 45. The lower end of the lever 43, from the pivot 44, is made narrow in width, approximately one-half the width of the said bar 40, so as to obtain a forward and rear play within the slot 37. The lower end of the lever 43, at a point directly opposite the line of the lower surface of the flooring 5, isbent at right angles and extended rearwardly to and in contact with the for wardportion of said opening 37, to form a catch 46.

47, indicates a pivotpost on the same side of the supporting plate 6, having the boss 9, and located near the upper portion of said plate a short distance forwardly of the vertical operating'bar 40. Upon outer end of the pivot post 47 is a dog'48. This dog consists of a fiat plate having its forward end pivoted to the post 47, and its rear end curved forwardly and downwardly from the line of its upper surface in the arc of a circle as at 49, and also curved rearwardly and -downwardly from the line of the forward end of said plate as at 50, the curved lines 49 and 50, meeting at a point as at 51. The rear end portion of the plateor' dog 48, extends rearwardly within the opening 41, of the operating bar 40.

52, indicates a pawl which is located in the lower portion of the opening 41, in the bar 40, and pivoted thereto at 53, at a polnt' a short distance below a horizontal line extending through the pivot post 47, supporting the dog '48. The upper surface of the eQg 52, is curved in the arc of a circle and upon the same line of curvature as the curvedportion 49, of the dog 48, within which curved portion of the dog the upper surface of the dog is operably received in a full upward movement of the operating bar 40. The forward end of the pawl 52, engages with the ratchet teeth 14, in the segment plate 10, in the manner further described. The rear end of the pawl 52, is extended rearwardly a short distance from the pivot 53, and form a weighted portion to the pawl, and tend to overcome the weight of the forward end of said pawl. held in its normal position by means of a transverse lug 54, secured to the lower surface of said rear end of the pawl, and bears upon the rear surfaces of the plates 41, and 42, of the bar 40.

In the rear end portions of the long arm 28, of the bell crank lever is a longitudinal opening or slot 55, short in length. In the lower end and outer side portion of the portion 42, of the bar 40, a pivot 56, which extends outwardly within the slot 55.

In the operation of the controller power is applied by the action of the foot to the foot plate 45, forcing downwardly the operating bar 40, which moves in a path tangential to the periphery of the ratchet plate or disk 10, and expanding the spring 36, on the short arm of the bell crank lever 26. This action moves the catch 46, below the opening 37, in the flooring 5, and the lever 43, moves rearwardly into the dotted position seen in Fig. 1. In the same downward movement of the bar 40, the pawl 52, which moves downwardly with the bar 40, leaves the engaging surface 49, of the dog 48, the forward end of the pawl engaging with the first ratchet tooth lowest in position in the segment plate 10, partially rotating the segment plate and at the same time moving forward the valve operating rod 15, a proportionate distance, hence admitting the requisite supply of fuel to the engine for its incipient or starting movement, a little above the slowest degree of speed of the engine.

Upon releasing the pressure of the foot from the foot plate 45, the parts described automatically return to their normal position within the interval of time required for Said pawl is the piston 20, in the cylinder 18, to resume its normal position. In order to accelerate the movement of the valve operating rod 15, the movement just described must be repeated in order to open the throttle its full extent, but in each instance the throttle is closed automatically upon the release of the foot from the foot lever 43. In these repeated movements the successive engagepawl and dog ratchet teeth is a full downward movement of the operating bar 40, so that while the foot remains on the foot plate 45, the throttie is in a fixed position unafiected by the spasmodic actionof the engine in moving over rough roads, the hands of the operator being always free tocontrol the movement of the vehicle.

The invention has sought to do away with the two operations incident to two pedals, for the reason that in most cases the danger arises in motor vehicles when the attention of the operator is given to the brake and the cut ofi or throttle valve should then self act.

I have shown on F ig. 3, a construction in which the foot lever 43, is dispensed with. In this construction the upper portion of the operating lever 60, is bent rearwardly from a vertical line passing through the lever forming the forward shoulder 61, and the rear, shoulder 62. The opening 63, in the flooring is made of increased proportions in the longitudinal direction-0t the flooring so as to permit a forward and rear movement of the bar 60, therein. Upon the upper end of the bar 60, is ,a fixed foot plate 64. The remaining parts of the controller are the same as in i-g. l. Downward pressure on the plate 64:, is accompanied with a forward movement of the bar 60, which -.causes the to engage alternately with the segment p ate it).

The invention is applicable for other uses than for the control of throttle valves and while applicable togive increased eficiency to the motor vehicle, may be applied wherever its utility is found servicable with such other modifications as are within the scope of the appended claim.

Having fully described my invention what I now claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-is,

In valve controlling mechanism the combination with a stationary support having an opening therein of a vertically positioned supporting plate secured to the lower surface thereof, a pivot post on said plate and a ratchet disk mounted rotatably on said post, a valve operating rod pivotally connected at one end with the said ratchet disk, a bell crank lever mounted on said post having arms of diverse lengths, a coiled spring connected with the short arm of the lever at one end and with a suitable support on the lower surface of the said stationary support at the other end, a pedal bar movable vertically in the opening in said stationary support and tangentially to the peripher of the ratchet disk, the long arm of the be I crank lever havin a slot and a pivot on the lower portion of t e pedal bar engaging with said slot, a dog pivotally connected with the supporting plate for said ratchet disk engaging w1th said disk and a gravity pawl on the pedal bar adapted to simultaneously remove the said dog in the upward movement of the pedal bar.

CHARLES E. MORRIS.

' Witnesses:

MARION MoNnrr,

C. Wrnis. 

